Trends in Japan

Initiatives for Public Hygiene in Japan

 Japan is known to be a country with a strong awareness for hygiene.
Customs to wash hands and gargle on a daily basis are particularly
widespread, and are carried out actively by a wide range of people in the
country—from children to grown-ups. Why do Japanese people tend to be
strongly aware about hygiene? In this article, you will learn about the
reasons for this, based on uniquely Japanese culture and school education.

Japanese People Love Washing!?

   They wash their hands and gargle when they come home from outdoors.
They get into the bath and wash themselves before they go to sleep. They
even wash their bottoms using shower toilets... All of these activities are
common lifestyle customs for people in Japan. You could say that
Japanese people put great importance on the act of washing in order to
keep their hands and bodies clean. It is not common around the world for
a country to have such thoroughly deep-rooted washing customs. This
shows how strongly Japanese people are conscious about hygiene.
   It is worth mentioning how people in Japan have a particular love of
bathing. Survey results show that one in three people in Japan take a bath
every day in the summer, and that one in two people do so in the winter as
well. It is thought that this custom for bathing in Japan started when
Buddhism was introduced to the country. Buddhism came into Japan in
the 6th century, and Buddhist teachings stated that bathing
“removes Shichibyo (seven illnesses) and brings Shichifuku (seven
merits).” Based on these teachings, baths were installed in Buddhist
temples, and many people began to use these baths—Buddhist priests and
commoners alike.
   The year 1591 saw the appearance of the Sento, a type of public
bathhouse. At that time, a Sento was a type of steam bath like a sauna.
People put the bottom half of their bodies into the water, and they let the
steam warm the top half of their bodies. In 1877, Japan saw the
appearance of a Sento in the style of a regular bath, with large bathtubs
that held lots of water. Even today, there are Sento all across Japan, and
these bathhouses continue to be loved by the people who visit them.

  Stephanie Crohin is from France, and is a Sento Ambassador Appointed

by the Japanese Sento Culture Association. She says that
Japanese Sento bring positive effects to health and beauty as well.

   “It is said that when someone goes into the bathtub at a Sento, their
whole body is stimulated, and there is an increase in heat shock proteins
in their bloodstream. Heat shock proteins are proteins that repair damaged
cells. These proteins are expected to bring positive effects such as
recovery from exhaustion, stress relief, and more beautiful skin.”

   She also says that Sento play an additional role as community and

cultural facilities.

   “Sento are located at the center of every district, and so they serve as

locations for social exchange where a wide range of people come
together. If you greet other people when you go inside the bathing room,
they will all talk to you in a friendly manner. Fujisan (Mount Fuji) is a
famous example of the wall paintings in Sento, but these paintings come
in a wide range of other patterns and designs. Many paintings feature
things that were trending when the bathhouses were built. Another way of
enjoying Sento is to compare the paintings on the walls of each
bathhouse, seeing them like works of art.”

Japanese people also have a remarkable fixation about toilets. Shower

toilets featuring a function to wash the user’s bottom with warm water are
widespread across Japanese homes and even public restrooms in the city.
Many tourists visiting Japan from oversees seem to express shock at this
environment where people can use clean, high-functional shower toilets
anywhere and at any time.
Japanese People Learn About Hand-Washing and Gargling in School
   You could say that school education is part of the reason why Japanese
people have deep-rooted customs about washing. This is not seen in many
countries around the world, but Japanese elementary schools have classes
where students learn the importance of washing hands and gargling.
Hand-washing and gargling are important habits for preventing food
poisoning and colds. For this reason, Japanese elementary schools teach
about the connection between germs and hand-washing or gargling, as
well as the correct way to wash hands and gargle. On top of this, children
practice hand-washing and gargling every day at school and home.
Through this process, children in Japan naturally develop customs to wash
their hands and gargle.
   Schools in Japan also have regular hygiene inspections called Eisei
kensa. In Eisei kensa, teachers check that students have brought a
handkerchief, tissues, and a mask, and whether they have cut their nails
properly. Through these inspections, teachers instruct students about the
importance of paying attention to hygiene and health. Children in Japan
gain a strong awareness for hygiene through this education.
   In Japan, there are many different kinds of product on sale that are
related to hand-washing and gargling. Supermarkets and drug stores have
a wide range of items with disinfectant effects, such as bars of soap, many
different types of hand soaps, alcohol disinfectant tissues, and gargling
liquid. These stores also sell hand soaps that dispense foam when you
press down on the pump, as well as products that help children enjoy
learning how to wash their hands. Japanese people develop hygiene habits
through carefully designed education programs and products.

Hygiene Habits that Are Deeply Rooted in Japanese People’s Daily Lives
   Japan has many other kinds of hygiene habits. For example, restaurants
in Japan generally provide customers with something called an Oshibori.
An Oshibori is a damp towel used to wipe your hands before eating.
Recently, more and more restaurants have started to provide wet wipes
instead of Oshibori. These wet wipes are prepared by soaking non-woven
fabric in ethanol. Oshibori are often provided at Japanese restaurants
outside of Japan, too. This shows how these towels have become a part of
Japanese culture. The practice of offering complimentary Oshibori to
customers became widespread way back in the Edo Period (1603–1867). It
is thought that inns and food establishments started giving these towels as
a matter of hospitality, to bring tranquility to travelers that came through
their doors. Offering Oshibori became rooted in Japan through several
factors: the hot and humid environment that makes people sweat, Japanese
people’s tendency for cleanliness, and Japan’s hospitality culture.

Japan also has a deep-rooted habit of wearing masks. This practice is not
just for people to avoid catching illnesses; people in Japan have a strong
awareness about wearing masks to avoid causing trouble to other people
too.

   Ever since the novel coronavirus spread, people have paid more
attention than ever before to the importance of hand-washing, gargling,
and other aspects of public hygiene. Popular musicians and celebrities in
Japan have released many different songs for singing when washing your
hands. These hand-washing songs have gained popularity, mainly among
children. Everyone copies the motions in the songs as they work actively
to wash their hands. Daily hygiene habits are more important than
anything else for preventing colds and other infectious diseases. Aim to
actively carry out habits such as hand-washing to keep healthy.

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